genki na gaijin

The other night I was sending an email out to a wonderful friend of mine who is in Italy, he complained that it took a him an extraneous amount of time to write the email, and I sarcastically asked “Do you have to type with your toes or something?” Then it happened. "tsumatsaki de emailu o kakimashtaka?" I just spontaneously realized after typing that silly sentence, that I know how to say "Do you have to type with your toes?" in Japanese. It was as though a crazy little echo in the back of my mind screamed from the far corners of my rote-memory the Japanese equivalent of my random thought.

Even in English, I can't express in words the joy that empowerment gives me. If only you could see me beaming like an idiot in from of the glowing computer screen. I’ve been stuck in this dreadful "developmental silent period of linguistic absorption" for the past five or six weeks. I had a lot of lonely silent moments, scary lost and confused experiences, and poor pantomime interpretations. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I have been suddenly empowered with words, beautiful words.

I'm in the same stage as most kids about 18months old. I have discovered the sound of my own voice, the power of naming objects around you when everyone expects your ignorant silence; and I just won't shut up. Even if all I can say is "tsumatsaki de emailu o kakimashtaka?" I am speaking Japanese, something I never in my life thought I would do - ever!

All of my friends are Japanese (yeah, all of them!) which is a strange experience in and of itself. The greatest lesson I've learned here is far more powerful than "tsumatsaki de emailu o kakimashtaka?" It's that humanity can bind relationships with genuine love and companionship despite all linguistic and cultural barriers. Deep down, we've all got hopes, dreams, fears, laughter, joy. Maybe I sound like the lyricist to "It's a small world, after　all" but I really feel this sappy stuff with each and every one of my friends.

I actually really relish the friends I've made over here BECAUSE of the complete lack of cultural understanding. Sarcasm, bitterness, being "too cool for school" and other such nonsense just don't translate. Not that they don't exist in Japan, they certainly do, but there is no way for me to transmit or receive these negative messages across the voids of language and culture. Consequently, my friends and I have fun when we share hearty joyous, REALLY fun times together. And posers need not apply, so I've really bonded with the most sincere and chill ladies of the lot.

Though I should mention, most of my friends speak pretty excellent English, so I so use my native language most of the time socially. A few of them actually intimidate me with the size of their vocabulary. My friend Aki went to college in America, and she can understand every slang, colloquialism, and metaphor I throw her way. I just keep thinking "How am I ever going to speak her language with the same ability she speaks mine!"

My hilarious friend in Italy (who I love more than waffles! You know who you are!) went on to say “For my part, I'm with all Americans, and although it's really nice to be able to talk to people, I would love to be interacting with more Italians and really getting intergrated with their culture. Still, I imagine things could get dicey with you as the only Yank. Are you able to communicate with the Japanese people yet? And if not, have you at least met a gross old American actor, played by Bill Murray, with whom to form an intimate yet platonic relationship based on mutual loneliness which culminates in an awkward kiss in the middle of a crowded square? Hopefully not, cause I know you hated that movie.”

I responded: No Bill Murry, but let me tell you, the vibe between "westerners" is something else　And I can fully attest to the presence of the phenomena Sophia was trying to capture. This country is 99% racially and culturally homogeneous (a true stat I rattle off almost daily, because it so deeply effects my experience) so on the rare occasions I see another white face (and we do stand out like elephants in a glass museum) a really awkward "thing" happens. I almost just don't try to describe it, it's that far beyond comprehension.

I see a white face in a crowd of, maybe three or four hundred in the middle of the Umeda Osaka train station, our eyes meet, no smile, and then we look away. WTF!?! Really! I still don't get it, I just adhere to what are obviously some pre-established rules. And tourists, may as well be the plague given the way locals treat them (and we can tell the difference, and I've definitely crossed over). It's actually one of my goals while I'm here: figure out the westerner thing, and make one American friend. It's funny, that could seriously prove to be the most difficult cultural bridge of my entire stay.

I can almost understand the accurate poignancy of that wretched movie - but I still hate it because those characters were so ethnocentric and superficial. I may get homesick every once and again, but I don't need to make out with some washed-up, crater-face, has-been to compensate. That still feels just too insincere too me. Sorry Sophia.

So, as you can see − this is a wonderful friend of mine and I miss them terribly, but every linguistic milestone makes the time away worthwhile. Peace!